Rotatable knife assembly



July 28, 1970 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 6, 1967 INVENTORS LL 65 SM. cc 55 U V m ow WA 0 LE o R M E G b y 1970' w. URSCHEL. ETAL 3,521,688

ROTATABLE KNIFE ASSEMBLY 7 SheetsSheet 2 Original Filed March 6, 1967 INVENTORS GRALb W URSCHEL JOE R URSCHEL ATTORNEY/L July 28, 1970 G. w. URSCHEL ETAL ROTATABLE KNIFE ASSEMBLY '7 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed March-6, 1967 INVENIORS GERALD W URSCHEL Jos R. URSCHEL ATToRug July 1 970 w, U scH L ETAL 3,521,688

1 ROTATABLE KNIFE ASSEMBLY I Original Filed March a. 1967 v Sheets-Shet 4 I INVENTORS a- 3 -9 522%?525235:

ATTORN v i July 28, 1970 G. w. URSCHEL ErAL 3,521,688

ROTATABLE KNIFE ASSEMBLY 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed March 6, 1967 'Ivi'lt! INVENTORS GERALD W. URSCHEL I, Joe R. URSCHEL ATTORNE% July 28, 1970 5, w, URSCHEL ETAL 3,521,688

ROTATABLE KNIFE ASSEMBLY Original Filed March 6, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 2 O INVENTORS GERALD W. URSCHEL Joe R. URSCHEL ATTOR EY July 28, 1970 G. W. URSCHEL ETAL ROTATABLE KNIFE ASSEMBLY Original Filed March 6, 1967 '7 Sheets-Sham '7 V 4 I k. 150

INVENTORS GERALD W URSCHEL JOE R. UR'scHEL ATTORNEY United States Patent U.S. Cl. 146-117 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The subject invention is directed to a rotatable knife assembly which comprises a cylinder provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced longidutinally extending slots, and knives which are respectively secured in the slots by means which serves to force or cam the knives into firm fixed positions in the slots.

The subject application is a division of our copending application Ser. No. 620,914 filed on Mar. 6, 1967, now Pat. No. 3,472,297.

The invention relates generally to equipment for conditioning a product and more particularly is directed to a rotatable knife assembly whereby a material or product, such as potatoes, may be uniformly cut into corresponding sections or pieces for use, such as french fries.

A significant object of the invention is to provide a rotatable knife assembly which is preferably adapted for use with means for cutting a product into slices and means interposed between the knife assembly and cutting means for guiding the slices in a predetermined path to the knife assembly.

A specific but important object of the invention is to provide a control for always maintaining the guiding means, above referred to, in a close predetermined relation to the knives carried by the knife assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a setup whereby different types of knife assemblies may be readily detachably mounted for use in obtaining resultant products having different cross-sectional dimensions or configurations.

Another object is to provide an improved knife assembly comprising a cylinder, with means whereby the knives may be readily detachably connected thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide a knife assembly in which the cutting portions of the knives are disposed in predetermined angular relationships with respect to the axis of the cylinder so that the product will be freely cut without wedging between the knives and breakage of the resultant product will be substantially eliminated.

Additional objects of the invention reside in offering advantages with respect to efiiciency, uniformity in the resultant product, output, maintenance, and durability.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent after the description hereinafter set forth is considered in conjunction with the drawing annexed hereto.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the machine embodying one or more inventions;

FIG. 2 is a partial top view of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1, with portions thereof removed to show drive connections between certain of its components;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective rear elevational view of a portion of the machine depicting details with respect to mounting certain of its components;

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken through 3,521,688 Patented July 28, 1970 the machine illustrating the operative relationship between certain of its movable components;

FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively illustrate perspective views of different forms of a product which may be produced by utilizing the machine;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial vertical section taken through an appropriate part of the machine exemplifying the operative relationship between a stationary drum carrying a stationary knife, an impeller rotatable in the drum for directing a product against the knife to slice it, and a rotatable knife assembly for cutting the slices into segments or pieces;

FIGS. 8 and 9 respectively show partial sections of the knife assembly illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a partial end view of the knife assembly;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged partial transverse vertical section of the machine illustrating structural details with respect to the relationship of the knife assembly, the impeller, and guide means, including adjustable means whereby the thickness of the product to be cut may be readily varied;

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the guide means which is operatively associated with the adjustable means in a unique manner which serves to guide and stabilize the product for cutting by the stationary knife and knives of the knife assembly;

FIG. 13 is a partial section taken substantially on line 1313 of FIG. 11 and depicts structural details with respect to the guide means and its relationship to the stationary knife carried by the slicing drum;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the stationary plain knife which is utilized in FIGS. 4, 11, and 13 for cutting the product into plain slices;

FIG. 15 is a partial perspective view of a stationary corrugated knife which may be substituted for the one shown in FIG. 14 and utilized to produce corrugated slices;

FIG. 16 is a top view of a chute for feeding the product to the slicing drum and impeller;

FIG. 17 is a front elevational view of the chute shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is an end elevational view of the chute and related structure;

FIG. 19 is a transverse section taken substantially on line 1919 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is a transverse section taken substantially on line 20 20 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is a transverse section taken substantially on line 2121 of FIG. 17;

FIG. 22 is a partial transverse section taken substantially on line 2222 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 23 is a partial view showing a product which has been cut by a stationary corrugated knife and is engaging the inner corrugated surface of the stationary drum;

FIG. 24 is a view, similar to FIG. 23, showing a product being cut by a corrugated stationary knife carried by the drum;

FIG. 25 is a partial sectional view showing the operative relationship of the guide to the stationary corrugated knife;

FIG. 26 is an enlarged partial perspective view of one of a plurality of corrugated knives of the rotatable knife assembly for producing in combination with the stationary corrugated knife a product such as the one illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 27 is a view, similar to FIG. 23, showing a portion of a product which has been cut by a planar knife as depicted in FIG. 14 riding on the crests of inner corrugated surfaces of the stationary drum;

FIG. 28 is a view, similar to FIG. 24, showing a portion of a product being cut by the knife of FIG. 14;

FIG. 29 is a view, similar to FIG. 25, showing a cut product of FIG. 28 sliced and moving between inner surfaces of the stationary knife and the guide; and

FIG. 30 is an enlarged partial perspective view of one of the plurality of plain knives of the knife assembly.

The machine as depicted in FIGS. 1, 4, 7, and 11 comprises, among other things, a frame, generally designated 1; a support, designated 2, supported on the frame; a rotatable knife assembly, designated 3, mounted on the support and provided with knives 4; a drum assembly, designated 5, mounted on the support and having a stationary section 6 provided with a stationary knife 14 and a movable section 8 adjustable to a fixed position and provided with guide means designated 9; an impeller designated 10 rotatable in the drum assembly for directing a product 11 successively to the stationary knife 14 and the knives 4 to cut it into slices 12 and segments or pieces 13; control means, designated 7, primarily mounted on the support for adjustably positioning the movable drum section 8 and guide means 9 with respect to one another and t0 the stationary knife 14; a feed chute structure, designated 15 for feeding the product 11 into the drum assembly for rotation by the impeller 10; a discharge structure, designated 16, for either of the resultant products shown in FIGS. 5 and 6; and a power unit 17 for rotating the knife assembly and impeller.

The frame, generally designated 1, may be designed and constructed in various ways but as exemplified in FIGS. lthrough 4 it is preferably articulated, generally rectangular in shape and includes a pair of front legs 20/ and 21 and a pair of rear legs 22 and 23. It also includes upper and lower front side rails 24 and 25 which join the front legs; upper and lower rear rails 26 and 27 which join the rear legs, upper and lower end rails 28 and 29 which join the legs 21 and 23 and a lower end rail 30 Which joins the legs 28 and 22. The frame also includes an intermediate top rail 31 having ends connected to the upper end rail 28 and an upper short rail 32 and to a short vertical rail 33 supported on the end rail 30. Also, a lower intermediate rail 34 joins the lower end rails 29 and 30 and a top cross-rail 35 joins the upper rear rail 26 and the upper intermediate rail 31. A mounting plate 36 is secured to the rails 26 and 31 for supporting the power unit 17 in the form of an electric motor, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The support 2, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 7, carries the knife asesmbly 3, drum assembly 5 and control means 7 and will now be described. The support is preferably cast and provided with feet which are secured to the upper cross-rail 35 of the frame by a bracket 40 and bolts 43 and to an upper part of a vertical plate 42 secured to the rails 31 and 34 for firmly anchoring the support in a vertical position. The support is constructed to provide three tubular formations 45, 46, and 47. The formations 45 and 46 are relatively large and bushings 48 and 49 are respectively fixedly secured therein. A shaft 50 for the impeller 10' is journaled in the bushing 48 by spaced roller-bearing assemblies 51; a shaft 52 for the knife assembly 3 is journaled in the bushing 49 by rollerbearing assemblies 53; and an inner extremity of a shaft 54- is fixedly secured in the formation 47 for supporting the control means 7. 'It will be observed that the inner end of the formation 45 is provided with a relatively thick annular wall 55.

It will be noted that the bushing 49 for the shaft 52 extends axially an appreciable distance beyond the formation 46 and that its ends are provided with internal annular recesses 56 and 57; that the recess 56 receives a portion 58 of a bead 59 of the shaft 52 and one of the bearing assemblies 53 and that the recess 57 receives the other bearing assembly and a portion 60 of a radial flange 61 of a tubular fitting 62 which is keyed at 62 to the shaft 52. This tubular fitting carries a gear 63 connected to the flange 61 by screws 64 (one shown) and a pulley 65 which is secured to the fitting 62 for rotation therewith.

The shafts 50 and 52 may be operated in various ways but as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 7 they are driven by the electric motor 7. More specifically, the pulley 65 is connected to a pulley 66 on a driven shaft 67 of the motor by a pair of V belts 69. The gear 63 on the shaft 52 meshes with and drives a large gear 68 fixed for rotation with the impeller shaft 50.

The structure of the knife assembly 3 and mode of connecting it to the shaft 52, as exemplified in FIGS. 7, 8, and 11, will now be described. This assembly comprises a substantially hollow cylinder 70, a ring 71, and the knives 4 are secured to a cylindrical wall of the cylinder by a plurality of fasteners, preferably in the form of Allen screws 72. More specifically, the external peripheral surface of the wall is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced corresponding longitudinally extending substantially radial slots 73 in which either of the type of knives 4 and 74 respectively shown in FIGS. 32 and 27 may be secured. The slots 73 are substantially rectangular in cross-dimension and each is defined by a base surface 75 and a pair of parallel side surfaces 76. Portions of the wall between the slots are preferably respectively provided with longitudinally extending grooves 77, each of which is defined by a pair of planar surfaces 78 and 79 to form a right angle. It will be observed that the surface 78 is somewhat larger in area than the surface 79. It should also be noted that FIG. 10 shows a knife assembly which substantially corresponds to the knife assembly shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 and that the cylinder thereof is provided with grooves defined by surfaces 78' and 79 which are of substantially the same area and substantially define a right angle.

The cylinder 70 is also preferably provided with an internal transverse partition 80 having an axial opening 81 therein for receiving an end portion 82 of the head 59 of the shaft 52. An inner end of the cylinder is preferably provided with internal threads 83 and an outer annular end flange or formation 84 having an opening 85 therein which affords access to the connection between the shaft and partition so that the knife assembly may be readily removed for replacement in kind or a different assembly carrying corrugated knives or knives of different sizes. A plurality of screws 86 secure the cylinder to the shaft.

The ring 71 of the knife assembly preferably includes an externally threaded cylindrical portion 87 which engages the threads 83 on the cylinder, an insert inner radial end flange 88 provided with an opening 89 and an outer radial end flange or abutment 90, provided with an opening 91, and constituting an abutment provided with an annular rib 92, defined by a pair of angularly disposed surfaces 93. It should be observed that the rib is dis posed in concentric relation to the cylindrical portion 87 and that the openings 89 and 91 provide clearance for the tubular bushing 49.

The outer end flange or formation 84 of the cylinder is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced angularly disposed threaded apertures 94 which receive the threaded shanks of the screws 72 and with counterrecesses 95 which receive heads 96 of the screws.

As alluded to above, a plurality of corresponding plain knives, like the knife 4 shown in FIGS. 8, 9, l0, and 30 may be attached to the cylinder or a plurality of corresponding corrugated knives, like the knife 74, shown in FIG. 26 may be connected to the cylinder. Each of the knives 4 includes a longitudinally extending generally rectangular attaching side or portion 97 and an angularly disposed longitudinally extending generally rectangular side or portion 98 which is disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the side 97 and provided with a straight sharp cutting edge 99. It should be noted that one side of the portion 98 is provided with a relatively large bevelled planar surface 100; that these portions are joined by an intermediate curved portion 101; and that the opposite side of the portion 98 is provided with transversely disposed parallel flutes or grooves 400, and with bearing surfaces 401 therebetween which are disposed in a single plane.

The sides or attaching portions 97 of the knives 4 are adapted for disposition and securement in the slots 73. The inner end of each of the portions 97 is provided with a notch defined by a pair of edges 102 and 103 which receive the annular rib 92 on the abutment 90 and with a notch at its outer end, defined by a pair of edges 104 and 105 which receive the head 96 of one of the fasteners or screws 72. This structure offers a unique setup whereby the knives may be readily selectively detachably attached to the cylinder. More specifically in this respect, and assuming for example, that one of the screws 72 has been sufficiently loosened, the attaching portion 97 of a knife may be readily inserted into a slot 73 so that its inner notch will receive the rib 92 and its edge 103 will engage the lowermost surface 93 of the rib, and then by merely tightening the screw 72, a portion of its head 96 will be received in the outer notch and engage its edge 105 and thereby secure the knife in a firm or stable locked position in the slot. The engagement between the screw head and edge 105 of the knife and the engagement between the surface 93 of the rib 92 and the edge 103 of the knife serve to force or cam the knife into a fixed position against the inner or base surface 75 of a slot. It will be noted that the ends of the knives are preferably bevelled as indicated at 106. in order to provide clearances and thereby insure correct positioning and positive locking of the knives in the slots. Different knife assemblies or heads may be utilized to obtain cut segments or pieces of different cross-sectional dimensions irrespective of whether plain or corrugated knives are utilized.

The corrugated knives 74, except for corrugations 107 thereon, substantially correspond to the design and construction of the plain knives and are mounted on the cylinder 70 in substantially the same way. It should be noted, however, that each of the knives 74 includes an angularly disposed portion 101 which joins the side portions of each knife, the purpose of which will be described subsequently. When corrugated knives are utilized then a corrugated stationary knife 14', such as the one shown in FIG. 15, is substituted for the stationary knife 14 so that the knives 74, in combination therewith, will produce segments or pieces like 300 shown in FIG. 5. The various steps employed to obtain such a segment is illustrated in FIGS. 23 through 25 and will 'be described more in detail subsequently. When the plain stationary knife 14 is used in combination with the plain knives shown in FIG. a segment, such as the one 301 in FIG. 6 will be produced and the steps in obtaining the same are exemplified in FIGS. 27 through 29.

Attention is directed to the fact that the offset exposed portions 98 of the knives 4 define in combination with the surfaces 78 and 79 circumferentially spaced pockets or recesses which receive the severed segments or pieces 13 as they are cut from a slice 12 of the product 13. The surfaces 79 constitute abutrnents or impact areas which are engaged by the segments. The relationship of the knives and grooves 77 is preferably such that the cross-sectional dimensions of the segments cut by the knives 4 will be greater than the cross-sectional dimensions of the segments produced by utilizing the knives 4 in combination with the grooves formed by the surfaces 78' and 79'. Otherwise expressed, the cylinder and knives may be designed and constructed in a manner whereby to produce segments of variable cross-sectional dimensions and these cross-sectional dimensions are determinable in con junction with the thickness of the slice 12. being cut by the stationary knife 14.

Of further significance is the fact that the exposed portions 98 of the knives 4, as exemplified in FIG. 11, are preferably disposed at angles of 63 with reference to a line extending from the inner portions 97. This angular disposition of the outer portions of the knives is important and serves to cut the slices at substantially right angles and thereby promotes uniformity in the resultant product by reducing to a minimum any breakage, bruising, or injury to the slices or segments.

Attention is also directed to the fact that the bevel of each of the knives 4 is brought into a position substantially perpendicular to the plane of each slice and that the angularly disposed portions 101' of the corrugated knives assist in ejecting the segments after being cut.

The drum assembly 5 maybe designed and constructed in various ways but as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 11, it preferably comprises the arcuate stationary shell or section 6 which has a circumferential extent of ap proximately 270 and an inner surface provided with equally spaced partially circumferentially extending corrugations 150. This section also includes an upper end flange 151 and a thicker lower edge portion 152 provided with a planar bearing surface 153 against which the stationary slicing knife 14 is detachably held by a plurality of screws 154 which extend through the knife and connect with threaded holes provided therefor in the edge portion.

The drum assembly may also be considered to include an annular spider-like end wall 155, a cylindrical wall or portion 156 and an inner annular portion 157 provided with holes through which screws 158 extend and engage threaded holes 159 provided therefor in the annular thickened portion 55 of the support 2 for fixedly securing the drum to the support. It will be observed that a head 160 of the impeller shaft 50 and a portion of the bushing 48 are disposed within the confines of the annular portion 157 of the end wall that the head is provided with an annular rabbet 161 which receives an end of the bushing 48 and that screws 162 extend through an inner end wall 163 of the impeller 10 and connect with threaded apertures 164 provided therefor in a radial flange 165 of the head for detachably connecting the impeller to the shaft 50. A pin extending into holes therefor in the wall 163 and flange assists in axially aligning the impeller and the shaft 52.

It should be observed that the end wall 163 of the impeller and the adjacent end wall 155 are spaced apart so that the impeller may freely rotate within the confines of the drum.

The drum assembly also preferably includes the arcuate movable section 8 which has a circumferential extent of approximately 90. This movable section has an upper end flange 166 an a lower end flange 167. The upper flange 166 is preferably connected to the upper end flange 151 of the stationary drum section by a resiliently flexible element or hinge 169 through the use of screws 168, whereby the movable section may be pivoted relative to the stationary section. The inner surface of the movable section is provided with corrugations 170 which constitute continuations of the corrugations 150 provided on the stationary section. An outer annular ring 171 is preferably detachably connected to an outer edge of the stationary section 6 by screws 172 which extend through the ring and engage threaded holes provided therefor in such edge. This ring is provided with a relatively large opening 173 which affords access to the interior of the drum.

The movable section 8 of the drum assembly is provided with the guide means 9 depicted in FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 which will now be described. This guide means may be designed and constructed in various ways but as shown includes a member having a longitudinally attaching side portion 181 which is secured to the lower end flange 152 of the movable section by screws 182 and an outer longitudinally extending side portion by an intermediate restricted flexible portion or hinge 184 and provided with a plurality of corresponding transversely disposed parallel slots 185 in which outer edge portions of a plurality of planar elements 186 are fixedly secured so that opposite or inner longitudinally extending straight edge portions or surfaces 187 of the elements will provide a relatively large rectangular area having a minimum of bearing surfaces which more or less constitute a continuation of the lower end portion of the movable drum section 8 for correctly engaging, stabilizing, and guiding the slices of the product during the cutting action. More specifically, the guide prevents the slice from tipping away from the slicing knife. If the slice guide was not present the slice would tip away from the slicing knife and cause the cross-cut knives 4 to cut improperly.

It will be observed that the upper ends of the guide elements are preferably bevelled at 188 to provide adequate clearance when the guide is moved relative to the movable drum section and at their lower ends at 189 for clearance of the knives 4. This movable section is also provided with an apertured lug 190 or ear located above its lower end flange 167.

Attention is directed to the fact that the straight edges or portions 187 of the planar elements 186 of the guide means define in combination with the bearing surfaces 401 of the stationary knife 14 a straight passageway which is substantially tangent to the drum assembly and its inner extremity is disposed in a juxtaposed relation to the outlet of the drum adjacent the lower flange 167 of the movable section to substantially constitute a continuation of such outlet and so that its outer extremity is located in a relatively close juxtaposed relation to the knives 4 of the rotatable knife assembly, as exemplified in FIG. 11. Otherwise expressed, the passageway bridges the space between the outlet of the drum assembly and the knives of the rotatable knife assembly.

The impeller 10 may be designed and constructed in various ways but as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 7, and 11 preferably includes the inner end wall 163, above referred to, and an opposite wall 191 which is disposed in parallel relation to the wall 163 and provided with a relatively large opening 192 through which the product enters the impeller. The impeller also preferably includes a plurality of five circumferentially spaced axially extending abutments or vanes 193 which are curved throughout their lengths and disposed generally chordally with respect to the axis of the impeller.

The machine is so designed and constructed that the products are directed or fed in single file to the impeller so that each vane or abutment 193 will receive only one elongated product 11 at a time and each product will engage a vane at longitudinally spaced points 194 for the purpose of stabilizing the position of the product, thereby promoting accuracy in the cutting action to produce uniformity in the resultant product.

The unique control means 7 for the guide means 9 may be designed and constructed in various ways but as illustrated preferably comprises a lever or link 195, a split collar 196 which is adjustably mounted on the shaft 54 carried by the formation 47 on the support 2. One extremity of the lever is preferably in the form of a flanged transverse bar 197 which is detachably connected to the side portion 183 of the member 180 of the guide means by screws 198 and its opposite or upper end is provided with an elongated slot 199 which is disposed at an oblique angle with reference to the longitudinal axis of the lever. This slot receives a pin 200 carried by a lug formed on the collar 196. The shaft 54 is provided with a transverse aperture 201 which is counterbored at 202. An elongated element 203 extends through the aperture and counterbore and has an inner head 204 which is connected by a pivot 205 to the lug 190 on the movable drum section 8 and an otuer threaded end which carries a manual operable nut 206. A helical spring 207 surrounds the element 203 and its inner end is disposed in the counterbore and its opposite end engages the head 204. By manipulating the nut 206 the movable drum section 8 may be moved toward or away from the stationary knife 14 for determining the thickness of the slices to be cut from the product and during this movement the guide 9 will also be moved a proportional distance for always automatically maintaining the bearing surfaces 187 of the guide in parallel relation to the knife. The guide is also moved relative to the drum section 8 and to the knives of the rotatable knife assembly.

Attention is directed to the fact that when the movable drum section 8 is moved outwardly gaps or spaces occur between the sides of this section and the stationary drum section 6. In order to substantially close such gaps a pair of arcuate members or strips 250 are detachably connected to the end wall 155 of the drum assembly and to the ring 171. These members serve to control the flow of the product to the stationary knife or otherwise serve as guides to prevent accidental release of any of the slices from the drum assembly during the cutting action.

The chute of the feed structure 15 may be designed and constructed in various Ways but as exemplified in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 16 through 21 preferably includes a bottom wall which is inclined in two directions and has an upper extremity 208 which is generally triangular in shape and a lower extremity 209 which is of substantially uniform width. The structure also includes a curved inner side wall 210 and an outer side wall 211. The upper ends of the bottom and side walls are preferably reinforced by a generally rectangular band 212.

The chute as depicted in FIG. 3 is preferably reinforced by structure including a pair of relatively large planar flanged trapezoidally shaped members 213 and 214. These members are angularly disposed and the flanges 215 and 216 thereon are welded to the upper extremity 208 of the bottom wall. A relatively large planar plate 217 is also connected to the extremity 208 and provided with an angle fitting 218 for restment on the rear rail 26 of the frame.

The reinforcing structure also preferably includes a vertical support 219 which is connected to or associated with the member 213, and the lower extremity 209 of the bottom wall is provided with an angle fitting 220 through which a screw 221 may be extended for connection with the intermediate upper rail 31. With this setup the complete chute structure may be readily detachably mounted on the frame so that the lower extremity of the chute will be disposed in the opening 173 in the ring 171 of the drum assembly and in substantially registry with the entrance opening 192 in the impeller structure as shown in FIGS. 1, 16, and 17. Attention is directed to the fact that the walls of the lower extremity of the chute are preferably angularly disposed and located as depicted in FIGS. 4, 16, and 17.

Attention is directed to the fact that the bottom wall 208 and the outer side wall 211 of the chute are preferably provided throughout their entire areas with a multitude of convex anti-adhesive surfaces 222 in the form of dimples. The upper extremity of the side wall 210 is also preferably provided with such surfaces and the remainder without such surfaces as this wall is not a load bearing one to the same extent as wall 211. The arrangement is preferably such that when elongated products are dropped into the upper extremity of the chute they will fall and gradually be arranged in a single file for stabilizing their positions immediately prior to their entry into the im peller. With this setup a product, such as a potato, is fed individually to each of the abutments 193 of the impeller so that the product will engage the curved surface at the longitudinally spaced points 194, as alluded to above, for stabiliding it during its rotation by the impeller and travel against the stationary knife 14.

The discharge chute structure 16 may be designed and constructed in various ways but as depicted particularly in FIGS. 1 and 4 it is preferably comprised of three sections viz: an upper section 223, an intermediate section 224 and a lower section 225.

The upper section 223 is adapted to partially cover the rotatable knife assembly and includes a curved front wall 226, a pair of side walls 227 and a lower fitting 228 for supporting the section On the rail 24. The side walls are preferably provided with arcuate edges 229 which generally conform to and bear against the drum assembly so as to prevent lateral accidental discharge of any portions of the product during the cutting action. It will be noted that the front wall 226 includes an upper portion 230 which overlies the guide 9; a lower continuation 231 which abuts the inner side of the upper front rail 24; that it is provided with a notch through which the lever 195 extends; and with a handle 231 whereby to facilitate manipulation of this section.

The intermediate section 224 of the discharge chute assernbly is generally of channel shape and includes a bottom wall 232 and a pair of side walls 233. This section receives a lower extremity of the section 223 and its bottom wall includes an upper curved portion 234 disposed between the rotatable knife assembly and drum and may engage the latter at a location whereby to confine the flow of the product through the discharge assembly.- This curved portion 234 is preferably detachably connected to the intermediate upper rail 31 by a bracket 41 and screws 44. A lower portion 235 of the bottom wall has a do-wnturned fiange 236 for attachment to the lower rail 25 by screws 237. It will be noted that the lower part of the intermediate section 224 is received in an inner extremity of the lower section 225.

The lower section 225 includes an undulated top wall 238 and a pair of side walls 239. The upper portion of the top wall is preferably provided with bayonet openings 240 for detachably receiving headed studs or screws 241 provided on the rail 24. A rear side of the section 225 is adapted to engage the rail 25- of the frame. The top wall 238 is further provided with a handle 242 whereby to facilitate manipulation of the section. The discharge chute assembly serves to control the flow of the slices and/ or segments to a container or onto a conveyor (not shown).

In view of the foregoing it should be manifest that improved means have been provided whereby a product, such as potatoes, may be fed singly to the impeller which stabilizes rotation of the product for cutting by the stationary knife; that the guide means 9 in combination with the stationary knife serves to provide a straight passageway between the outlet of the drum assembly and the knives of the rotatable knife assembly for stabilizing and correctly guiding the slices for cutting by the knives; and that the latter are mounted in a special way whereby to correctly cut the slices into segments.

More specifically attention is directed to FIGS. 27 through 29 which successively illustrate various steps in cutting a product when the plain stationary knife 14 and knives such as 4 are utilized. In FIG. 27 the product is shown as engaging corrugations provided on the interior of the drum assembly; FIG. 28 shows the product being cut and riding on the corrugations of the movable drum section; FIG. 29 shows the product being cut into a planar slice and travelling between the members 186 of the guide and the bearing surfaces 401 of the knife.

The steps, shown in FIGS. 23 through 25, include the use of the corrugated knife 14' and the corrugated knives 74, and substantially correspond to the steps described above and produce the corrugated segments 300. In FIG. 24 a corrugated slice is shown with is corrugations meeting with the corrugations on the movable drum section 8 and corrugations of the knife 14' and in FIG. 25 with its corrugations engaging a planar portion of the knife 14' and the members 186 of the guide riding in the valleys of the corrugations, all for the purpose of guiding and stabilizing the travel of the slice between the drum and rotatable knife assembly.

Having thus described our invention, it is obvious that various modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of the invention, and, therefore, we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to rality of circumferentially spaced angularly disposed fasteners, said slots being adapted to receive portions of knives provided with means at their ends for respectively engaging said cooperating means and said fasteners for selectively detachably firmly anchoring the knives in said slots, and said cylinder being further provided with means whereby to facilitate its connection to a rotatable shaft, and said opposite extremity of said cylinder being further provided with an opening of size suflicient to afford access to said last-mentioned means.

2. A knife assembly comprising a cylinder provided with means whereby the cylinder many be attached to a rotatable shaft, said cylinder having at one extremity an external radial abutment and circumferentially spaced fasteners at its opposite extremity with a plurality of external intervening circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending slots, a plurality of elongated knives hav ing inner portions disposed in said slots and opposite ends provided with cooperating means interlocking with said abutment and said fasteners for securing said knives in said slots, and each of said knives having an external portion which is disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to its inner portion and provided with a cutting edge.

3. An elongated knife for the purpose described comprising an elongated body having a longitudinally extending planar side attaching portion adapted for disposition in a longitudinal slot provided in a cylinder and provided with inclined cooperating means at its opposite ends for engaging means on the cylinder for camming the attaching portion against the bottom of the slot, and with an opposite longitudinally extending side portion provided with a cutting edge, said last-mentioned side portion being disposed at an oblique angle with respect to said firstmentioned side portion.

4. An assembly of the character described comprising a cylinder having a cylindrical wall provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending external slots and an outwardly extending radial wall at one extremity provided with cooperating means, and said cylinder at its opposite extremity being provided with fastener means, said slots being adapted to receive portions of knives provided with means at their ends for respectively engaging said cooperating means and said fastener means, said cooperating means and said fastener means serving to detachably firmly anchor the knives in said slots and cam them toward the bottoms thereof.

5. The assembly defined in claim 4, in which said cylinder is provided with an internal wall disposed intermediate the length of the cylinder whereby to facilitate connection of the assembly to a rotatable shaft.

6. An assembly of the character described comprising a stationary support, a tubular bushing fixed on said support, a shaft journalled in said bushing, a cylinder secured to said shaft and having a cylindrical wall pro vided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending external slots, and cooperating means provided at the extremities of said cylinder, said slots being adapted to receive portions of knives provided with inclined means at their ends for engaging said cooperating means for detachably firmly anchoring the knives in said slots and camming them downwardly against the bottoms thereof.

7. The assembly defined in claim 6, including means for guiding a sliced product to said assembly which com prises a stationary member and an element which is 11 adjustable in parallel relation to said member to form a passageway through which the slices travel.

8. An assembly of the character described comprising a cylinder having a cylindrical wall provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending external slots, a ring carried by one extremity of said cylinder and having an outwardly extending radial wall provided with annular cooperating means, said cylinder at its opposite extremity being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced angularly disposed fasteners, said slots being adapted to receive portions of knives provided with means at their ends for respectively engaging said cooperating means and said fasteners for selectively detachably firmly anchoring the knives in said slots, and said cylinder being further provided with internal means whereby to facilitate its connection to a rotatable shaft.

9. The assembly defined in claim 8, in which said ring is mounted on said cylinder for axial adjustment with respect thereto.

10. A knife assembly comprising a cylinder provided at one extremity with an external radial abutment and fastener means at its opposite extremity and with a plurality of external intervening circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending slots, and a plurality of elongated knives having inner portions disposed in said slots and opposite ends provided with inclined cooperating means engaging said abutment and said fastener means for securing said knives in said slots and forcibly against the bottoms thereof.

11. An elongated knife for the purpose described comprising an elongated body having a longitudinally extending planar side attaching portion adapted for disposition in a slot of a cylinder and provided with inclined surfaces at its opposite ends for engagement with 12 means whereby the attaching portion may be forced downwardly in the slot, and with an opposite longitudinally extending side portion provided with a cutting edge.

12. An assembly comprising an elongated support provided with a longitudinal slot, an elongated knife having a longitudinally extending planar side disposed in said slot and provided with inclined cooperating means at its opposite ends, and "means carried by the extremities of said support for engaging said cooperating means in a manner whereby to firmly clamp said knife in said slot and cam its planar side portion against the bottoms thereof.

13. The knife assembly defined in claim 10, in which said radial abutment is common to certain of the ends of the knives and the fasteners are respectively selectively engagable with other ends of the knives in a manner whereby at least one knife may be selectively detachably connected to the cylinder without disturbing the other knives fixedly secured in the slots.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,372,239 3/1921 Kutter l4691 2,242,557 5/1941 Urschel et al. 14678 2,713,367 7/1955 Aberer l46-91 2,934,117 4/1960 Urschel et al. 146-78 3,139,916 7/1964 Kagley 14627 FOREIGN PATENTS 333,421 8/1930 Great Britain.

W. GRAYDON ABERCROMBIE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 146-78, 89 

